Accident at offshore service base construction in Ustka highlights gaps in emergency medical response

An accident occurred today at the construction site of a new offshore service base in Ustka. The absence of an available ambulance forced emergency services to respond in lieu, once again exposing the shortcomings of medical emergency coverage in the region.

Kamil Kusier executive editor 08.01.2026, 20:27 Reading time: 2 min

Red fire truck with flashing lights on a snow covered construction site at dusk — fot. Mariusz Jasłowski

In brief

A subcontractor's employee collapsed at the construction site of the offshore service base in Ustka and, after falling onto a concrete slab, was taken to hospital with suspected concussion. Marcin Poznań of the PGE press office confirmed to Gazeta Morska that emergency services had to intervene, with State Fire Service and Polish Navy vehicles arriving first. The Emergency Medical Team travelled from Słupsk, about 20 km, for 30 to 40 minutes. Ustka, with more than 20 thousand inhabitants, has one permanent ambulance, and in 2025 the fire service responded in its place more than 50 times.

- At the construction site, one of the employees of a subcontractor collapsed and required the intervention of emergency services. As a result of falling onto a concrete slab, there was a suspected concussion. The injured person was taken to hospital for further observation, Marcin Poznań from PGE’s press office told Daily Mare.

Ambulance shortages and delayed response times

Fire trucks from the State Fire Service (PSP) and the Polish Navy were first on the scene. The medical rescue team (ZRM) had to travel from Słupsk – approximately 20 km under challenging winter conditions. The response time was around 30–40 minutes.

Ustka, a city and municipality of over 20,000 residents, currently has only one permanent ambulance. A second ambulance is available seasonally, from June to August. While firefighters are trained in advanced first aid and some PSP units employ medical professionals, the lack of specialized equipment, medications, and medical apparatus can be life-threatening. In 2025 alone, fire services acted as a substitute for ZRM over 50 times.

Tragic incidents reveal the persistent problem

Local resident Mariusz Jasłowski emphasizes that this is not a new issue:

- The problem in Ustka is only discussed after a tragedy, yet it has been ongoing for years. Before the holidays, the fire service responded to a similar emergency – despite exemplary assistance from the PSP, a 50-year-old woman could not be saved. The medical team arrived ten minutes after the firefighters, who had already started life-saving measures. Another case involved a man hit by a vehicle, who also waited tens of minutes for an ambulance. These are not isolated incidents, but recurring problems.

Calls for political action

Solutions exist. The Pomeranian Voivode could allocate a second ambulance to Ustka, and local and central politicians must treat this issue as a priority. Ensuring effective medical response in a port city and offshore region is not a luxury—it is a necessity. Residents’ and offshore workers’ lives must not be endangered due to systemic underfunding.

The accident at Ustka’s offshore service base once again highlights the vulnerabilities in the medical emergency system. One permanent ambulance for a city and municipality of over 20,000 residents, combined with reliance on the fire service, poses a real risk to human life. Urgent political decisions and concrete investments in emergency medical infrastructure are essential to protect both residents and offshore workers.

Source: Gazeta Morska · Compiled by: Kamil Kusier